The ‘unscheduled’ and ‘unplanned’ meeting between Karnataka tourism minister Sa Ra Mahesh and BJP national general secretary Muralidhar Rao has apparently left top leaders unhappy. While Amit Shah gave a dressing down to Rao, Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy pulled up Mahesh
Bengaluru: The ‘unscheduled’ meeting between Karnataka tourism minister Sa Ra Mahesh and BJP national general secretary P Muralidhar Rao in Bengaluru has apparently left top leaders of the saffron party and the JD(S) upset.
Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy is said to have summoned Mahesh at his office and blasted him for meeting BJP leaders at a hotel.
"Kumaraswamy was angry and he shouted at Mahesh. He told this meeting with BJP leaders will trigger speculation and bring a bad name to the JD(S). Such unscheduled meeting at this point of time is not required," a source said quoting Kumaraswamy.
JD(S) national spokesperson Tanveer Ahmed said BJP leader Eshwarappa and Mahesh are contemporaries and the meeting with Rao in the presence of Eshwarappa is a causal and one need not add motives.
"The meeting has added a lot of speculation in the media circles. As far as I know, no political discussion has taken place. At the same time was cannot rule out any possibilities," Ahmed said.
As per reports, the JD(S) has learnt the idea of Siddaramaiah of arm-twisting the JD(S) by using the resignation drama from his followers and hence it was HD Deve Gowda who made this political move of "unscheduled" meeting with BJP leaders.
"The idea is to send a message to the Congress and especially Siddaramaiah that JD(S) too has options," said a JD(S) insider.
It is said even BJP leaders were upset with the ‘unscheduled’ meeting and apparently Union home minister Amit Shan had pulled up Rao and Eshwarappa for the meeting.
"A wrong message will be sent. Public will think that the BJP is destabilising and hungry for power. This meeting was not required," said a senior BJP leader.
Kumaraswamy's government is facing trouble from the last few days as over 10 MLAs from both the JD(S) and Congress have resigned. While government is trying to pacify the disgruntled legislators, the MLAs are adamant.
Meanwhile it was reported that the ‘SBM’ group — MLAs ST Somashekhar, Byrathi Basavaraj and Munirathna Naidu along with Mahalakshmi Puram (Bengaluru) MLA Gopalaiah and BTM Layout (Bengaluru) MLA Ramalinga Reddy had met BJP leader R Ashoka weeks before deciding on their resignations.
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